I speak today as a Pakistani who wishes his nation to grow ; to rise above petty differences in order to achieve its rightful role as it was envisaged by Quaid e Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah. Yes, Pakistan was carved out of India with support of the British to realize the vision of Sir Syed Ahmed Khan’s Two Nation Theory but I would never believe the founders formed it so that Pakistan become a terrorist state in the world. 

Ironically, the same religious nexus which was against the formation of this nation became its biggest stakeholders after its formation and slowly wrested it away from the hands of the moderate people who strived for this nation . The war of independence or the struggle of independence did not start from any Madrassah . But I fear the policies of our nation’s few could God forbidden trigger its demise at the hands of similar Madrassah. 

Though millions died during partition on either side but these were not purpose of hate but was due to revenge of the deaths and rapes on either side. If you look historically ; India of both the states was the first victim of extremism when the extremist Hindu element took out Mahatma Gandhi. His fault in my opinion was to stall the violence and strive to find an amicable solution as leaders of both Hindu’s and Muslims fall out. 

If you would look at it the split of South Asia by British Empire was always going to be a painful sojourn as whilst Muslims were awaiting freedom from the British Raj which took away their dominion over the region and Hindus who were for centuries dominated by outsiders as Muslim rulers held power for centuries . The resentment for this time was always possible. Also, we must not forget that the extremists on both sides wanted these nations to be their ideological platforms. 

Strangely though that the founding members of Muslim League and including Quaid e Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah were from the Shia sect of Islam and the leading Sunni leadership were with Congress of the likes of Maulana Azad . But these Shia leaders who were forming Pakistan which today is inhabited by at least 85% Sunni Muslims never thought in that way but just helped establish a Muslim nation. Unfortunately in today’s Pakistan even certain sects of Sunnis are becoming under threat as influence from Saudi Arabia has grown.

Nevertheless ; the Afghan Jihad which gifted many things to Pakistan like Heroine, Kalashnikovs , Refugees as well as Islamist Radicals became the love child of Pakistan’s Army as they thought of confronted Russia in Afghanistan in the name of Jihad sponsored by Saudi Money and driven by American ammunition. The nation paid a hefty cost and as we embroiled in the conflict our thought leaders of then Military Junta found this as the convenient path as the nation became more and more radicalized so much so that under Gen Zia’s regime ; moderate Army officers felt suffocating. Generals having radical thoughts became favorite . We saw General’s like Hamid Gul and later Aslam Beg coming up even after Zia was taken out of the context as the war neared its end. 

My question is that how come we as a nation have never been told the real perpetrators of the death of Gen Zia and Gen Akhtar . What triggered their kill is still unknown to Pakistanis like many other incidents like Benazir Bhutto’s death etc ? Coming out of Afghan war as victorious and licking wounds from the failed Sikh’s Khalistan movement and Siachen debacles. Pakistan Army had to again see the Kashmiri Intifada standing up and failing . Maybe it was the drying out of financial resources that lost the way in Kashmir as the Government could not keep up the funding and we had a Prime Minister like Benazir at that time who was Shia as well as hated the Army games in the region ; the same Army which blamed her father for Bangladesh’s debacle and put him on the noose after building the sentiment against him. They say that both Khalistan movement and Kashmir movement saw setbacks as Benazir realized that unless she weakens the claim to glory for Pakistan Army ; she could not rule Pakistan in true sense . The result she lost her government to the pet of the Army at that time which put together an alliance of right wing parties led by Nawaz Sharif so that they regain or continue their lost glory.

They say that democracy in Pakistan did not deliver. Well in a way true as establishment never let it establish though all the prime years of governance of Pakistan was under Military Junta and let’s not forget we lost half the country under their rule too. When Nawaz was brought into power under guise of Islami Jamhoori Ittehad (IJI) the agenda became clear. Benazir even lobbied to get sanctions imposed on Pakistan knowing the real forces behind her ouster. 

In her second term in my opinion to woo Military Junta she let her advisors like Naseerullah Babar who unleashed Muhajir Genocide during her second term in Sindh raised Talibans. I remember studying in my college of an Army of the students who were orphaned during Afghan war winning area after area in Afghanistan . Well the only logical argument I could think of doing this by our armed forces was to keep India out, get deeper penetration into the Afghan territory to get strategic depth for its nuclear fire power, get access to the Central Asia gas and oil and lastly expand on the Muslim dominion as dreamt day in day out by some expansionist minded Generals like Hamid Gul. For that purpose they eased up so much that this menace spread into Pakistan unchecked and today we have two versions of whom. The Afghan one and the Pakistani one. Whilst officially the one in Afghanistan are our establishment’s friends but so are the Pakistani ones unofficially. 

I remember during Kargil conflict the Al Badar Mujahedeen group roaming around in certain areas of the city with their flags on Carrier vehicles. The official policy was always to denounce it. The behavior has not changed at all. 

Whenever the civilian governments of both India and Pakistan start warming towards each other. Certain incidents via the non state players are executed with enough deniability to avoid sanctions and UN Resolutions. They say that when Zardari opened the back channel with Manmohan Singh without the blessing of the same Junta whom Zardari looked with suspicion after his wife’s death in bombing (who was said to be coming back in power with plans to fade off Jihadist elements in Pakistan seeing the aftermath of American invasion and result of post Red mosque operations). We saw Mumbai unleashing. Then again the current Prime Minister made his efforts and we saw Uri happening. The non state players like types of Hafiz Saeed & Co (LeJ , Let etc etc) continue to survive and operate openly & why not as many in our establishment see them as the first line of defence. Even after APS attack where more than 100 kids lost their lives there are pro establishment parties like PTI & JI justifying these as Angry brothers and that’s it . Ironic isn’t it that they spit on the blood spilled by hundreds of soldiers martyred by these elements , thousands of soldiers who got injured and many more in terms of civilians martyred by these.

The cost of war is always the civilians and the soldiers and some officers who sacrifice for this nation but the Game Masters in the establishment and their children become richer and stronger. The poor are the only victims and casualties of war. Have you ever thought that why none of the schools , colleges, homes and these influential have been ever attacked by these radicals in Pakistan? The blood have always been spilled in poor or middle class schools or universities. Lawyers, teachers, laborers, middle class politicians and junior level Army Jawans or lower level Officers most of the times. Why ?

Today; there is war drumming that we need to go to war for Kashmir in India by our establishment and their pro media. I will not go to this war. I repeat. I won’t and so would be millions of Pakistanis like me will not fight a war for despots like Hafiz Saeed when hundreds of my people are dying at the hands of law enforcement agencies in Pakistan like in KPK, Sindh, Baluchistan and Karachi. If not at their hands than at the helm of their Angry brother allies in suicide bombings in mosques, in courts, in churches, in schools , in universities, in markets and in the whole country. I am not going to war with anyone unless my own house is in order. I as a Pakistani do not want to be part of any adventurism. I feel these incidents only keep the pay cheques going. 

I could see this coming as a free hand was given to religious organizations in Karachi the least where I live and probably the whole Pakistan during Ramadan and later Eid ul Adha to collect Zakat, Fitra and Sacrificial animal hides as political representatives were marginalized. There are videos that these being collected under patronage of those who are supposed to save us from these. Now we know why all these funds needed for. I can very well now understand that why no extermination of these Jihadists did not take place as these were to be used in a bigger conflict. To keep one selves and money in play at the same time.  

I don’t know which part is difficult to understand that even Chinese and their CPEC will only survive if there is peace in the region. I doubt Chinese will invest money knowing the perils of war hovering over the region and at what cost ? especially when they have alternate options at their behest. Pakistan need to realize its isolation . The country and its Junta and its establishment need to stop living in a State of Denial. Our all neighbors apart from China are upset with us . SAARC is upset with us. Middle East is upset with us. The West is upset with us. They only use a carrot under control perimeters to achieve certain selfish goals and nothing more. 

We as a Nation has so much potential in terms of man power, resources, capabilities, strategic location and might but still we are heading in the wrong direction of becoming a rogue state. I believe everyone should get rights including Kashmiris. But at the same time the Baluchs, the Sindhi, the Pashtuns and the Muhajirs of Pakistan should also get their rights. This selfish hypocritical approach needs to cease . The Military Junta which I have supported in the past duped to think that after APS they would rise against Talibans & Co have made me disappointed and millions like me to see to instead reinforce them. The result today is an unstable Pakistan and an unstable neighborhood. 

Pakistanis must realize that these leaders who get on the stage and threat of Nuclear War both Civilians and Army have in most of the cases have assets, their families and other interest abroad. You would all become nothing but fodder for the misadventures of a few . Remember when the War drums beat. A lot of business comes along with it which means also a lot of kick backs. Don’t tell me that the sellers in face of Chinese and our new best buddies i.e. Russians would not engage in it. Keep a close eye. Like I mentioned earlier that only DHA’s and grave yards are growing in Pakistan as poor man becomes poorer. 

If all the patriots reading this are really half of what they claim to be Pakistanis. They would open their eyes and realize how they are just pawns in this game of Hypocrisy in the name of Patriotism. I have realized and so has many more. I am a result oriented person. The history of our lack of achievements do not give me that kind of confidence. Rhetoric’s don’t win conflicts but real commitment do. Ask yourself if it’s there. If not than do you want to become pawns. I doubt so. I don’t. Pakistan Zindabad